Looking for a place to camp near Wisconsin Dells with your horse? Finding a place to stay in Wisconsin while traveling with your horse has never been easier. Search horse campsites and discover top-rated spots, as reviewed by other campers.
Merry Mac Campground is a family friendly campground nestled between the South shore of Devil’s Lake and Lake Wisconsin. This 40 acre facility offers activities for all age groups: swimming pool, beach, swimming pond with water inflatables, jumping pillow, dunk tank, miniature golf, playground, sand volleyball, basketball, gagaball pit, trykes and bikes, friendly camp store surrounded by Mother Nature’s beauty!
$35 / night
$50 - $65 / night
The equestrian campground at Governor Dodge State Park has 20 campsites, 18 with electric hook-ups. Each campsite includes a high-line hitching post with cable, and has a picnic table and fire ring. Drinking water, vault toilets, a horse washing station and manure bunkers are provided. Campers can use the shower building located in the Hickory Ridge group camp area. The equestrian campground is open from May 1 through Nov. 15.
The equestrian campground is located in the Hickory Ridge area of Governor Dodge State Park. The campground has easy access to the park's 22 miles of equestrian trails - including both the interior horse trail system and the 15-mile Driftless Horse Trail.
Campers must have a horse to camp at this site. Total driveway length 95'. Hunting occurs in the park along trails from Oct thru Dec and again in April.
The vision for McCarthy Youth and Conservation Park began in 1974 with a donation of 180 acres of land that was owned by Russell and Ella McCarthy. The McCarthys’ primary goal was for the park to become“a place where kids from the city could learn about nature.” The park offers a group camp, hiking, cross-country skiing, equestrian trails and camping, picnic opportunities, and a beautiful prairie/wetland restoration.
There are two separate group camps at McCarthy.
McCarthy Group Campsite
Group Camp area for up to 50 people situated on top of wooded glacial drumlin adjacent to Maunesha River. Connection to hiking trails. Scattered level wooded camping areas. Located~ 1 mile from the park entrance through a gated access road– road is part of the hiking trail system. Ranger will open gate. No potable water at this time Vault(pit) toilet Picnic tables Campfire ring No electricity No shelter Vehicle parking in parking lot at base of the hill below the Group Camp site
McCarthy Equestrian Group Campsite
Located~.6 miles from the park entrance access through road gate– road is part of the hiking trail system. Ranger will open gate. Camping setup for self-contained camping units No potable water at this time Your group may rent a portable toilet(from a vendor of your choice) if needed. Picnic tables. Hitching posts. Campfire rings. No electricity. No shelter. Vehicle parking in parking lot at base of the hill below the group camp site
Reserve a campsite online here: https://web2.myvscloud.com/wbwsc/widanectywt.wsc/splash.html
Check opening and closing dates here: https://www.danecountyparks.com/about/Parks-Opening-Closing-Schedule
See campground rules here: https://www.danecountyparks.com/about/rules
$65 / night
Traveler
Very cool secluded walk in sites, pet friendly, awesome trails.
GuideThis is a smaller campground but makes up for it with all the access around it. Ice Cave trail was a neat, quick walk. The trails around have gorgeous views of the driftless area and Kickapoo river. I stayed at site 1. While it is right next to the campground road and a trail, trees block the views from people looking in and there was not that much traffic. It is a tent only site and can fit one tent. Was a good site for just me and would stay at this site again as most of the other sites are very explored.
LegendNice campground, quiet would come back! It was our first time to WI so the scenery to the park was just beautiful.
Our campsite was nice. Spaced out enough from neighbors that we were comfortable. Do not like the nickel and diming of WI state parks. Charge the site fee which is reasonable enough but then a $8 reservation fee that gets you to $40 and then another $11 to NR's for the vehicle pass. You can get an annual pass for $38 but when you are just passing through it's not worth it. Brought us to $51 for the stay and it was worth it since we needed a place to camp, but I've stayed in better places for less. This park was much better than Rocky Arbor.
Bathrooms were super clean for a campground. Good shower with directions on wall, which was a nice touch. The cement in shower is stained so it looks dirty but it's really pretty clean. Enjoyed my hot shower here.
Hiked the Old Settlers Trail. It was nice, some elevation changes that get you attention. It was muggy and hot as I hiked right after the rain, so temperature was miserable at times, but it is July! The entire trail was about 3 miles round trip from the campground. Definitely check out observation point! Beautiful view!!!
Scout
wonderful park! Only problem is the park does not enforce their rules. Several sites had 3 to 4 cars/ trucks and as many as 15 people per site. And these were not the double sites which allow greater numbers. This was observered on single sites. Rules say max of 6 people and 2 cars. This creates very loud partying late at night. I asked at the ranger station about the rules and discussed what I saw what I experienced. Pretty much just blew me off! Reserving only one site and packing as many people as they can get away with does not create a very family friendly camping experience. Only leads to trouble. No Rangers in the Park after 8pm which to me is a safety issue! After 8pm the local police in Dodgeville take over. We were there 5 nights and only saw the police roll through 1 night! Too bad. Such a nice Park is going down hill!
Traveler
We love to go kayaking here, the lakes are lovely. There are also lots of trails to explore. It can get busy, especially during the summer holidays. The beaches tend to be where the people are most dense. The campgrounds are pretty large but most sites offer good privacy. We stayed at Cox Hollow campground and enjoyed our stay. The stars were glorious. P.S. Bob’s Bitchin BBQ in Dodgeville is banging if you’re looking for a yum treat.
LegendThis was our second visit to this park. On both occasions we wanted to canoe the scenic Kickapoo river. Our first trip was five years ago and we got portage service for our canoe from Titanic Rentals in Ontario. We went from there (bridge 1) to bridge 12 Which took nearly all day, but we were able to have lunch at the park's Wildcat landing, the only real and equipped picnic site along the river. NOTE; Google maps makes it look like the campground and landing are near each other. They are not. It's three miles of very steep roads, so don't think you're going to fetch anything you left behind.
The campground is on top of the ridge, which means in the morning you will look out over a fog shrouded valley through the trees. The views from the overlooks, which are a short hike, are worth checking out. Campsite 15 is the only one with a clear view.
There are walk in sites and the paths are wide and clear. The park provides large carts for your stuff so you can really pack stuff in and get away from it all. But the family tent and RV sites generally well spaced, check the map as some are more private than others.
Our second trip was in August, 2023 and we canoed from bridge 12 to LaFarge (bridge 21). It was later in the season than our previous trip, and in the slightly less scenic stretch of the river. As a result, we didn't see any other boaters.
Campsites have basic fire ring, and there are pit toilets as well as one Full facility with running water and hot showers. Firewood is available at the Ranger station.
There's also Equestrian camping elsewhere in the park and lots of trails for both hikers and horses.
The town of Ontario has a good general store and a couple bars, but this is pretty much wilderness and small farms. Two unique places however are Wild Things Furrier near bridge twelve. Want a coonskin cap or some smoked trout? This is the place.
More unique than that if you want to treat yourselves, go 34 miles south to the St. Frances Hermitage restaurant. It's run by a small order of French Monks and Nuns who raise their own animals and grow the vegetables they serve. Their bakery is also delicious. This is not fast food, this is a gastronomic experience.
LegendThe campsites here are deep with lots of greenery. However we chose this site thinking that it was on the end. The loops curl around so there were campers around us. On the other side was a playground that had children enjoying it all day. While this is great for some, our reactive dog was quite distracted.
Upon arriving at the check in, there is still a couple miles to wind around until the campground, longer to get to twin lakes campground. The road is hilly too. It’s not a problem in our vehicle but it would be tiring on a bicycle. There are showers in the center of our loop. It could be expanded a bit - we had short lines for the restrooms. Water , garbage and recycling are available as well as a dump station.
It was raining when we arrived but we drove around to see the park. We hiked the short distance to Stephen’s Falls and was not impressed. Maybe they need more rain this year but all we saw was a splatter.
We saw folks who kept their kayaks and canoes locked up by the lake. The beach looked nice too. The other end of the park has an equestrian campground. We did see some horses riding the trail around the park.
The vibe here wasn’t for us. Various sites had music playing loud enough for us to hear. Trails from camp would be great. We ended up walking along the narrow road.
ScoutPretty cool state park. Campground is located on the top of the hill. Wish there were more hiking trails. You can also hike on the horse trails if you want. Would highly recommend canoeing or kayaking the Kickapoo River if you are spending a weekend there.
TravelerMade a reservation on line. $25. Added a conservation fee of $7. Taxes added to that. Pulled in on my motorcycles with my son and they charged us an additional $22 vehicle charge. This site cost us almost $60 for one night and the place was filthy. There were worms crawling around in the men’s urinal. The bathrooms were disgusting and there were signs all over complaining about how short staffed they were. Never go to this campground.
TravelerNot our typical type of campground but absolutely no complaints. Very friendly atmosphere and more comfortable sized sites than we expected considering what we typically look for. All amenities are very nice.
ScoutThis was my first and probably last time camping at Cox Hollow. Let’s start with positive: easy access to the campsite I was able to park my car right by the tent. Bathrooms and showers seemed clean enough, but I would recommend wearing some sort of footwear while you shower. Now the negatives: loud and obnoxious families with screaming bratty kids, people leave food scraps so raccoons are not scared and come right up to you sniffing for food, people have zero courtesy and slam bathroom door non stop, not to mention slamming down dumpster lids literally all day and late into the evening. Oh and did I mention screaming kids? Apparently “quiet hours” are from 11pm-8am, well the noise continued almost into midnight hours and as early as 6:30am. Thumping stereos with loud music, also can’t blame dogs for barking, but we had a howler and it kept going all the time. Forget about sleeping in or enjoying the sounds of nature. I’d like try different campsite at this park, but won’t be returning to Cox Hollow.
TravelerIce cream 🍦 Shop in hot Dog 🌭
Legend Unlike Twin Valley, this campground is up on the hills, many sites drop off steeply. It really should be called Cox Bluff, oh well. Sites are well spaced and when it's summer and leafy, fairly private. Site #21 has the best view of the lake, but it's the one everyone arriving shines their headlights into. The sites to either side fare better. Many of the sites on the outer loops are split-level. Check the photo, if it looks like there's a log across the site, it means you have to step down to get to the large part of the site. Pay attention to the drive-in dimensions posted. Bigger rigs will do better inner loop. There are no pull-throughs.
Firepits are low steel rings, 30" across with no grate., tables are long, family sized.
Toilets and showers are clean and well lit, with an outlet for razors. Hot water is inconsistent.
Traveler
My family and I love the yurts and the giant pool/ pond. The park model rentals are nice now that my grandma is getting older. 4 stars simply because everything has a price and it's not included in tge total.
GuideWe really love camping at Governor Dodge. It has some fantastic hiking trails, nice lakes, and family friendly camping. Facilities are ok, not the worst, not the best. Medium sized sites. Overall a great State Park.
GuideWe stayed last year in Governor Dodge and we loved hiking, especially to Stephens’ Falls!
ScoutWe love camping at Governor Dodge state park. The campsites are big and fairly private some areas are better for groups of families camping together with play grounds and nice clean bathrooms with showers. If you camp at Twin Valley You will have to drive to the beach. We like the Cox Hollow beach the best ..so if you want to walk to beach camp there. There are lots of beautiful hiking trails including one that passes an old farm homestead complete with the old spring house and a waterfall. You can also rent horses and rid them in the park…the rental place is just outside the park. They have groomed cross country trails and mountain biking trails as well. You won’t be disappointed if you visit this park!
V
LegendStayed at the Twin Valley campground. Beautiful. Some nice Fall colors. Camped at a non-electric site. While other Wisconsin state parks have shut off most water & closed their shower houses, ghost park kept these amenities available this late in October; that was a nice surprise. Sites are wooded & spacious. Shower house/ restroom was warm & clean. Would stay here again.
TravelerA chilly weekend at Wildcat. Site 29 is nestled in between the family campground and the bathroom/shower facility. Electric is provided. Wood sales run until 5pm or 7pm depending on the day.
The site is open and near two others on the corner, but with enough distance to keep relative privacy.
Excellent hiking options with incredible overlooks.
TravelerMy son and I stayed at site 106. Carts for hauling gear are in great condition. Clean restroom/shower facilities. Water available on trail next to the site. Access to the parks trail system is right by the parking area as well.
Will head back again before winter.
GuideWe had a great site with room for both our truck camper and canopy/tent setup. Great hiking, although the falls would’ve been more impressive if we’d had more recent rainfall. Had a fun time fishing but there wasn’t much of a pier. Found a picnic spot along the shoreline and fished from there instead. Loved that the campgrounds had little free libraries!
Traveler
As this place didn’t have much for reviews I wasn’t sure what to think but it’s a great location with good service. I thought the stay price was reasonable and there are lots of options for sites and bathrooms. It was quiet and beautiful location with a nice owner.
Guidelarge shaded campsites, clean and well marked trails, excellent and friendly staff available to answer questions and offer suggestions. Wonderful experience
LegendThis is a small state park in terms of overall number of campsites, but its network of hiking and horseback riding trails is extensive. What makes this state park particularly interesting from a camping perspective are the walk-in(or cart in) sites. There are 12 sites you can't drive to, and the park provides very nice carts for each site(unlike other state parks where there is one or two carts for all of the sites or none at all(Blue Mounds and Gov. Dodge State Parks respectively).
Walk-In Sites
If you are looking for privacy, cart-in site 119 is quite a ways off the trail and far from the parking lot, but it's a bit small. It has some nice midday sun but is otherwise obscured by a lot of foliage which gives it a nice amount of privacy. Number 103 is in a heavily-wooded area and doesn't get a lot of sun but is nicely situated off the main path providing it quite a bit of privacy, but not too far from the parking area. On the other hand, number 104 directly across the gravel path from 103 is situated with a east-facing view of a very nice prairie, providing ample morning sunshine. However, a grove of trees on its western side provides very nice afternoon shade.
Now for the "car camping" sites. All of the electric sites are in a wide open in a large grassy area, and do not provide any privacy between sites or from the road. On the other hand, the non-electric sites afford a bit more privacy on their loop. The sites on the right hand side of the one-way street have far more privacy than the ones on the other side of the road. I would not like sites 1 through 5 because they are located between the main road and the campsite loop road, which would mean lots of car traffic and headlights in your tent all night long. On the left hand side of the road site 6, 9 and 11 are decent.
I would like to add a special note about sites 13 through 16. Three of these are on the outside of a small cul-de-sac loop, and are nicely situated in the woods, though they are close to the main road and would experience a fair amount of traffic noise. However, if you have a choice I would highly recommend avoiding site 16, it's in the middle of the loop has no privacy and isn't very pleasant except that it is completely shaded.
About the Park Itself
This state park has an extensive system of horseback riding and hiking trails. The nice thing is that the horseback trails are shared by hikers. This state park also has one of the most beautiful and well-maintained overlooks, peering down into and across the Kickapoo River Valley.
I highly recommend visiting this overlook in the morning, at sunset, and even in pure darkness. We saw a wide array of stars and the Milky Way thanks to low light pollution. I'm not saying there is no light pollution, but it's pretty darn dark. I fell in love with this state park. It has fewer than 50 campsites, well maintained shower and vault toilet blocks, and a beautiful selection of walking trails. It also has a very accurate map of the walking trails, so you can hike confidently.
The park office sells firewood for$5 a bundle, which is about the same kind and quantity as they sell for$7.50 at the gas station 7 miles down the road in Ontario, Wisconsin. If you need a groceries or gasoline, the Cenex gas station has a small but sufficient grocery supply if you you need something. We forgot to bring eggs and pancake mix and they had both.
Kayaking the Kickapoo
This is a great place to start your Kickapoo River kayaking adventure. We booked two kayaks with one of the Ontario-based outfitters and spend a glorious September day paddling and floating the absolutely beautiful river. I HIGHLY recommend taking a day to explore the beautiful scenery from the silence of a river kayak.
GuideNot a lot of flat area. But great place to camp
TravelerWe only stayed a few nights, chose a pull thru site. The staff is great, the pool is brand new! They have a huge pond with inflatables. It’s located right by Devils lake. Firewood for sale, great wifi, clean bathhouses/rooms
GuidePlenty of things to do here to keep the kids engaged and busy very clean Campground the campsites are well-kept swimming Pond was clean and plenty of fun things to climb on and slide down. We will definitely return to this Campground
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Wisconsin Dells, WI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Wisconsin Dells, WI is Merry Mac's Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 6 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Wisconsin Dells, WI?
TheDyrt.com has all 9 equestrian camping locations near Wisconsin Dells, WI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
